Union Dopes Dash Disney Magic

Although Walt Disney is based in Anaheim, California, the Walt Disney World theme park here in Orlando is a worldwide tourist attraction central to the local economy. Central Floridians take great pride in Disney, and the NBA's Orlando Magic are named as such. On Tuesday, the Walt Disney Corporation (DIS:NYSE) released earnings which surprised to the upside, beating expectations across the board.

Maria Bartiromo of CNBC discusses the earnings report:



This is great news. It has been a rough decade for shareholders, beginning with 9-11, which drastically reduced theme park traffic, followed by the Michael Eisner episode culminating with the recent financial crisis.
For the first time in over a decade, Disney has recently traded above $40 per share. With revenues up, out come the useful idiot employees under the direction of the unions protesting for Disney to "share the wealth".

Union president Eric Clinton is president of one of the six unions trying to strike a new deal for the thousands of Disney World employees.

Clinton said "We've known for a long time Disney's image is something that's very near and dear. One way to get them to move is to attack that." For Disney employees, this a real bad move to attempt to sabotage their employer, but for union thugs
attempting to engage in a shakedown, it is all good.

WFTV ABC Orlando spoke with Disney World Representative Andrea Finger, who said "We have proposed a very fair and competitive offer that's a very good deal for our cast members."

Union leaders claimed rising health care costs would wipe out salary increases for Disney workers. With apologies to Dopey, what a bunch of dopes! Unions were central in the compilation of the health care package, as well as the failed stimulus. In fact, labor unions are "going after" those who did not support Obamacare.

But it is Disney's fault.

They have the money to do it; it's just that they're cheap. They didn't get rich by giving their money away, we understand that, but our members are struggling," Clinton said. Welcome to the world under Obama! Most everyone is struggling, and you should be thankful there are enough folks who still have money who can come to Disney and enjoy themselves. For the company to excel in this environment is a testament to management and the fantastic job the cast members do.

Because I am a big supporter of Disney, I am going to waive my consulting fee for the employees and issue the following three recommendations:

A. If you are unhappy as a cast member, seek employment elsewhere. I recognize, due to current idiotic policies of the Obama administration, that jobs do not currently exist, so you must use the ballot box at your earliest opportunity to expedite your departure.

B. Invest in the 401K package the Mouse House makes available to you. And by all means, invest in your own company, so a rising stock price benefits you along with the company.

C. Form your own theme park, and run it as you see fit.

As it turns out, I do not recall as revenues and the stock price were in decline anyone over at The Magic Kingdom contacting the local media to offer to work for decreased wages. Where was Mr. Clinton, a fine American I am sure, at the shareholders meeting? Voting present?

It is far time for these dopes to distance themselves from the cancer that is the unions and get some skin in the game. Then, as it should be, everyone associated with Mickey and Minnie would be celebrating a job well done.

NOTE: I AM A LONGTIME SHAREHOLDER OF WALT DISNEY CORPORATION. WFTV USED A SOURCE.

Disney World vs. Disneyland

The 2009 NBA Finals begin tonight with the Orlando Magic facing the Los Angeles Lakers. ABC, owned by Disney (DIS:NYSE), has the coverage.

With Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland out in Hollywood, this is an advertising bonanza for the company.

As a shareholder, I hope the coverage will promote the parks with video whenever possible. No matter, the Magic reaching this point is a good thing for Orlando and I will be pulling for them. Go Magic!

Send Grayson on Permanent Vacation

Fresh off the debacle otherwise known as the Pay for Performance Act of 2009 , Orlando Congressman Alan Grayson (D) has offered another idiotic proposal, the Paid Vacation Act. This legislation would be the first to make paid vacation a requirement under federal law.

The birth of this legislation dawned on Grayson while he was at Disney World. As a shareholder of the company (DIS:NYSE), I appreciate his patronage but with the nations economic status crumbling, one might suspect he had more pressing obligations. Apparently not.

Grayson commented he thought vacations would stimulate the economy. It might stimulate Disney and surrounding tourist places like Sea World, rental car companies and the surrounding hotels, but it would would be a regulatory anchor on companies efforts to produce a quality product while growing their business. Grayson, who cited vacation time as reasoning why the Euro is rising against the Dollar, has his lack of understanding of economics at display yet again.

Incentives work! Both ways. If these financial constraints, such as Graysons pending legislation, continue to be placed on businesses, they will be forced to hire less workers, which would restrict the amount of product produced. It would also likely lessen the profit margin of what is produced as efficiency is reduced, which would harm the ability of the company to grow, potentially costing jobs. This, ultimately, would also limit supply which would then force prices up. It is the equivalent of a tax, and when you tax something, you get less of it.

Noted in the story at Politico.com was that the United States was dead last in mandatory vacation, with France leading the way. The story failed to mention that the US is first in output (over 4 times that of France) and that France has historically high unemployment and had workers rioting within the past few years. I certainly do not aspire the United States to become the economic equivalent of France, but I fear many do.

A seemingly obvious economic principle bears repeating. There is no free lunch. Vacationers on their employers expense may think there is, but someone is paying the cost, and in the end it is the consumer.

There’s a reason why Disney World is the happiest place on Earth: The people who go there are on vacation,” said Grayson. “Honestly, as much as I appreciate this job and as much as I enjoy it, the best days of my life are and always have been the days I’m on vacation.” So, fellow Orlandoans, lets put him on permanent vacation during the next elections. But then again, it looks like he already is vacationing on our dime.